Missing Moments
"I'll take the first watch." Harry grabbed his wand from the bed and proceeded out into the darkness.
Hermione stood up and started brewing tea. "How does your arm feel now Ron?"
"Like it's been bitten off by a hippogriff."
Hermione laughed. "I'd forgotten about that. Isn't it strange to think that just a few months ago, Malfoy was the worst of our problems?"
"Didn't imagine we'd be in this situation then, did we? Outlaws on the run from the ministry, hunting down the darkest wizard of all times?" Ron replied as Hermione handed him the tea and sat down on his bed.
"No, we certainly did not." She sighed.
"Well at least we got the hocrux, all that madness today wasn't a complete waste of time." Ron grabbed his arm suddenly, wincing.
"Your arm?"
"No, it's- I'm fine, Hermione-"
She took hold of his wrist and rolled up his sleeve. The wound was protected by a new layer of skin thanks to the dittany, but it seemed to be throbbing and still causing Ron a lot of pain.
"It should be wrapped in a sling, that way it'll heal faster. I'm afraid that if I do it by magic I'll get it wrong…" Hermione reached into the beaded bag and pulled out a cream and some bandages. Ron watched her as she kneeled down by his bed and began gently rubbing the cream onto the wound, careful not to press too hard for fear of hurting him. Then she wrapped the bandages around his arm, and tied them around his neck.
"There, I think that should-"
She looked up at his face, and stopped short.
"Thank you, Hermione." He said, taking hold of her hand.
Eyes never leaving his, Hermione sat down slowly next to him.
"It's the least I can do." She squeezed his hand.
"I think you might have a future as a healer."
"Ron," Hermione said suddenly. "You know we will probably not have futures."
His brow furrowed. "No need to be so cheerful."
Hermione's eyes suddenly filled with the hopelessness she had managed to keep at bay up until now.
"Ron, be realistic! We are on the run with undesirable number 1- the entire wizarding community is looking for us- half of them want us dead. We had no idea what we were doing today, Ron, none at all! We are lucky to have escaped alive. We're just a couple of teenagers, Ron, we don't know what we're doing! And I don't think Harry really does either," She added in whisper.
"Of course we don't." Said Ron gently. "But we can't think like that, Hermione. We'd be giving in to you-know-who if we did that, it's like accepting that he's won. And that's the point of this whole thing, isn't it? To make sure that doesn't happen. That's what he wants, Hermione. We can't give him that."
Hermione sighed. "I know. It's just- it seems so hopeless."
"I know." Ron put his good arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. "We've just got to keep believing, despite everything. "
She sighed again and leaned against him, closing her eyes. "I just wish it were that easy."
They sat for there for a while longer talking softly together, until Hermione decided it was late and Ron needed to rest.
"I'm going to take over Harry's watch," She said, standing up.
"I'm sorry I can't offer to do it instead."
"Ron don't be ridiculous, you need to sleep."
"Just trying to be polite."
Hermione shook her head, smiling. "Good night, Ron."
He smiled back. "'night."